Monkey Business AU Oneshot
by miatorra
Summary: What would've happened if Phoebe didn't barge in and interrupt Helga's 'deathbed' confession? How would've Arnold react? AU Oneshot! Rated G! Fluff in store!


**My first one-shot! :D This is the story I wrote when I had to fight through my writer's block. I watched this episode and thought 'Hmm. How would this scene have played out if Phoebe hadn't interrupted Helga?' So here it is! I hope you all enjoy this little fluff!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Hey Arnold or the characters!

Helga laid in bed, waiting on the last classmate to come tell her goodbye before her Monkeynucleosis took over her. She twiddled her thumbs nervously as she waited on her oblong headed love to appear in her doorway. She knew she had to tell him what he meant to her. Maybe once she turned into a monkey, he wouldn't hate her as her dreams foretold. She couldn't think of a worse fate, than for Arnold to hate her. She knew that she got on his nerves, but she could tell that he at least cared about her on a friend level. That was what made Arnold so amazing. He cared about everyone, even the bully who tormented him every day.

Oh, my love! If only I had spent more time being nice to you and letting you see the true me! Maybe you could've even loved me one day. But now we'll never know...

She pulled out her locket and gazed upon it. "Oh Arnold, my love. Now that I'm practically expired, nothing holds me from expressing my deepest, darkest secret. The secret of which I've so long harbored."

Helga felt her heart race as she heard footsteps approach her door. She quickly hid her locket before looking up and seeing Arnold. He was wearing a suit that made him look so incredibly handsome. She felt her mouth go dry as she beckoned him to take a seat. He walked over slowly and sat by her bedside. He folded his hands politely and patiently, waiting for Helga to speak first. She took a minute to gather herself before starting.

"Thank you for coming, Arnold. I know this may seem a bit crazy."

Arnold shook his head. "Not at all Helga. I just feel bad that you're..well.." He didn't really know how to finish that sentence. Did he really believe that Helga was dying? Not really. But it still slightly unerved him to see Helga in such a state of despair. He was so used to seeing her so tough and invincible. Seeing her lying in bed holding a flower, looking downright pitiful, nearly made Arnold's heart skip beats. If she wasn't dying, she certainly was playing the part well. Even if she wasn't dying, he could tell that she believed she was.

"Dying?" Helga finished. Arnold gulped audibly. Saying it out loud made it sound so morbid.

"Uh yeah." He trailed off. Helga shrugged.

"'Dying' isn't a bad word, Arnold. There's no reason to not say it." Helga mumbled. Arnold looked from Helga to the window, seeing the light stream in. The rays of sunshine hit Helga's hair, which made it shine in a way that Arnold had never noticed before. Even though it was a depressing moment, Helga almost looked peaceful with her fate.

"And so, Arnold, now that I'm about to..go...I guess I might as well tell you..." Helga left the sentence hanging in the air. Even as she lay dying, she still couldn't bring herself to say it outright yet.

"Tell me what?" Arnold asked earnestly. Helga had something to tell him? It had to be important if she waited until now to tell him.

Helga took a deep breath before continuing. "All the past years while I've baraded you and called you names like Football Head and Hair Boy and Yutz and Paste for Brains-"

"Helga. What's your point?" Arnold was getting quite tired of hearing all of the nicknames she had given him over the years. Even on her deathbed, she still couldn't leave out the insults.

"My point is that," Helga looked from the window to Arnold, meeting his irritated gaze. "I really don't hate you, Arnold. In fact, quite the contrary. In the pit of my heart, in the depths of my soul,"

This is it, old girl. Do it.

"I truly love you, Arnold." She rushed out before she let her fear develop her. Arnold felt his emerald eyes go wide.

"You..love me?" He repeated in a daze. So she really was dying and apparently losing her mind. Helga loved him? How could this be?

"I, I know this is sudden, but I needed to tell you before I'm... before I'm not me anymore.." Helga felt her eyes water.

"I don't know how I'll be once I turn into a monkey, and you need to know that the former Helga loved you. So much."

Arnold wanted to stand up and run out of her bedroom. This was nearly too much for him to take. But there was a part of him that knew that he had to be here for Helga. If what she's saying is true, she had to have a lot of bravery to admit this to him.

"Helga, I..."

"You don't have to say anything, Arnold. I know you don't return my feelings and that's ok. I just couldn't imagine you going the rest of your life not knowing how I truly felt about you." Helga felt her voice go out as she stared at the flower she was holding.

Arnold stood up from his chair and walked over to Helga. He patted her arm gently, which brought her attention from her flower to the boy before her.

"I'm glad you told me, Helga. It really means a lot to know how much you care about me."

Helga raised her unibrow in surprise. "You're...You're not upset?"

"Why would I be upset, Helga? I mean, I do wish that you could've just told me how you felt, rather than tease me all these years. But it still means a lot." He gave her a small smile.

"I wanted to tell you! For so long, but..." Arnold interrupted and finished her thought.

"But you were afraid of me not returning your feelings." Helga looked back at Arnold with teared up eyes.

"Terrified." She uttered the single word. Arnold still stood by her bed and placed his hand back on her arm.

"Helga, you never have to be afraid to tell me anything. We could've talked about it and.." And what? Went on a date? Started off as friends first? Arnold didn't really know. He knew he didn't love Helga, at least not how she loved him. Could he have grown to love her with time? Possibly. Now that he thought about it, he was actually heartbroken that they would never have that chance to figure it out.

"And?" Helga asked. He could see how on edge she was.

"And I would've been excited to get to know the real Helga." He finished. It was one hundred percent the truth too. He knew all these years that Helga's bullying and tough exterior was just a front. Now, more than ever, did he want to know the real Helga. The loving Helga.

Helga chuckled humorlessly. "Yeah. You would've liked her."

Arnold felt his shoulders drop as he instinctively grabbed her hand. "I like you now. Just the way you are."

Before Helga could reply, Phoebe burst through the room, making Arnold and Helga both jump.

"Helga wait!" Phoebe ran over to Helga's bedside, basically shoving Arnold out of the way. "I know what's going on and you've got everything all wrong!"

"Huh?" Helga felt her brain and heart race.

"You don't have Monkeynucleosis!" Phoebe sat on the bed by Helga's legs. "Helga, contact with a monkey isn't really dangerous. The most you could possibly get is a minor skin irritation! The rest is all in your mind."

Helga suddenly sat straight up in bed after studying her hand. "You mean I'm not going to expire?"

Phoebe smiled. "No, of course not! The whole idea is simply ridiculous." She leaped from her bed and left the two blondes in the room.

Helga jumped from the bed as well, feeling like a million bucks. "That's great! I'm not going to expire! Yes! Yes!"

Arnold smiled genuinely at the wonderful news. "That's great to hear, Helga!"

Once she remembered what just happened, Helga felt the blood rush from her face. She just revealed her deepest darkest secret and she wasn't even dying.

Well. Now she wanted to die.

She put her arms behind her back, suddenly feeling very embarrassed. "R, Right! Um, about what I said.." Arnold walked up to her and gave her a full hug before she could finish. He knew she would try and talk her way out of what she said, but he wouldn't let her.

"You don't have to explain, Helga." Arnold separated from her and gave her a meaningful smile. He turned and began to walk out of her room until she heard Helga clear her throat.

"Um, Arnold?" He turned around and saw that she had gotten back in bed.

"Yes, Helga?"

She had folded her hands similarly to how he had them just moments ago. "Once I get everyone to leave my house, um.. would you maybe want to get ice cream later? At Slausens?" She asked shyly. Arnold was relieved that she didn't take back what she said. He nodded.

"Sounds good, Helga. I'll see you later."

As Arnold left her room, Helga fell back onto her bed and began to giggle happily. Sometimes it takes dark moments to bring out the best confessions.

 **I hope you all enjoyed it! Until next time my fellow Football Heads! xx**


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